Edward and Roy's alternate universe
by Anthony Stark
Summary: Ed and Roy's lives in an alternate universe.EdxRoy
1. Chapter 1: A Lasting Impression

A lasting impression

Roy Mustang gazed after Edward Elric, watching the other teen, who was tending to a foster brother's scraped knee, Roy was surprised when Ed leaned back, pulling a band aid from his the front pocket of his jeans, he sent the comforted child off to play on the toys, sitting back on a park bench with a sigh, Ed pulled a chapter book from his book bag, and began to read, his eyes flickering upward every once and a while to check on his siblings. Ed's life, though it looked fine to passerby, was filled with turmoil, no-one else noticed the way he constantly checked his pocket watch, counting down 'til it was time for the next prescription.  
Edward was on several different meds, but he didn't appear to mind, his old energy had diminished a lot, but he was still Ed, minus the murdering mechanism that the meds suppressed, that is. Roy couldn't get too close to Ed, because the reason Edward was on these meds was because he's tried to kill Roy, for getting him put in foster care. Edward looked up, breathing in the smell of the cherry blossoms from the surrounding trees, the wind blew his chin length bangs back from his face, and Ed sighed again, wishing it could just stay peaceful like this, but he couldn't stay here much longer, he had to go home. He had left three of his new siblings there, and he didn't trust his foster mother to watch them. He stood up, and, twenty feet away, Roy stood as well, staring after the smaller teen, who only stood to about 5 ft 1 at age sixteen, and barely reached Roy's chest, because Roy was almost 6 ft tall. Edward pulled his mind from his book, and the scenery, gathering his foster siblings together, he had the feeling he was being watched, a small chill ran down his spine, and he had decided to take them home.  
When Ed walked through the door, the first thing he heard was his foster mother yelling at one of the kids he'd left at home for drawing on the wall. He strode quickly into the room, stepping over empty beer bottles and ignoring the mess of clothes, toys, and garbage that covered their entire floor, holding a hand in front of their foster mother to stop her wild ranting, he waved her away, "I'll handle this" he knelt before the young boy, who was clutching the incriminating markers in his tiny little hands, tears streaming down his cheeks.  
"Hey, it's alright, just promise not to do it again." The boy sniffed, and nodded, leaping into Ed's arms, "Michael, you okay?" Ed held Mike close,  
"I was so scared, big Brother!" The little one cried, Edward stiffened, a memory of his younger brother, Alphonse Elric, crying the same way flashed through his mind, Edward remembered it clearly, it was the first time their dad had disappeared, the same day their dad had tried to hit Alphonse, but Ed had gotten between them, and their father had beaten him instead, luckily forgetting about Al, and that night, Al had said the exact same thing. Edward shook his head, patting the child's head,  
"You're fine, ya wanna take a bath? I'll run one for you." Michael nodded.

Roy Mustang mustered up his courage, knocking on the door to Ed's foster home, he took a deep breath as it creaked open. The woman who opened the door was small, her eyes were dark and wild, her hair, frizzy and unbound, hung lank around her shoulders.  
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice was scratchy, and frantic.  
"Uh...does Edward Elric live here?" The woman nodded, ushering him into the house and down a small, cramped hallway, she pointed him through an open door, and he found himself staring directly at Ed, who was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, his pant legs rolled up, and his feet in the ankle deep water, rubbing soap into a younger boy's hair, and talking to him about getting in trouble, adding occasional stories of times he'd gotten in trouble.  
"When I was little, I ran away because my dad had yelled at me, then, I called him some really bad names when he finally found me hiding at the park. So, as long as you keep your nose clean," Ed tapped Mike's nose for emphasis, "you'll do fine." The child smiled, leaning back so Ed could rinse his hair,  
"Wow, Ed, I didn't know you were so rebellious." Edward whipped around, his eyes focusing on Roy's face, and his hands clenching into fists.  
"What the hell are you doing here, you Bastard?!" he stood up, stepping out of the water onto a dirty towel that had been left on the floor. Mike stared up at his foster brother, shock clear on his angelic features.  
"Big brother, you said a bad word!!" His little voice seemed to snap Ed out of his murderous state,  
"Sorry, Mike, Mustang, please leave." Roy sighed,  
"No, Ed, I came to apologize...for that day." Mike tugged on Edward's sleeve,  
"Brother, you should listen." Ed shot the twelve year old girl who'd just entered the bathroom an angry look.  
"What, you've been reading a few much of mom's counseling books." The girl sighed,  
"Mom said I could, besides, talking about something is better than keeping it bottled up forever. Talk to him." She matched Ed's glare, Edward looked away,  
"There's nothing to talk about!" he insisted,  
"Then why is he asking you to talk to him?" it was Ed's turn to sigh, the girl had strong logic.  
"Fine, Help Mike get out of the bath, I'll talk to him." Roy's eyes lit up, and he followed Edward out of the bathroom, and into a small bedroom, with three twin beds in it. "So, what do you want to talk about, Mustang?" Roy flinched at the vicious tone of Ed's voice.  
"Why do you call me by my last name?" he asked, Edward shrugged.  
"What's it matter? Get on with whatever you came here for." The taller teen sighed, sitting on the nearest bed.  
"You know what I want to talk about...I got you and Al put in foster care, and separated too-" Roy flew back, his head slamming into the wall behind him with the force of Ed's punch to his jaw.  
"Don't talk about Al! It's your fault he's stuck in foster care!! Those dirty Bastards took him away from me!!" Edward's eyes shimmered with angry fire, and Roy couldn't help but be relieved that looks couldn't kill.  
"Edward, calm down, I came here because I've found Alphonse, I know where he lives, I've spoken to him, and he wants to see you." Ed paused, his fist slowly unclenching and slipping back to his side,  
"Really...?" Ed asked, a note of pleading entering his voice. Roy nodded, pulling a slip of paper from his pocket, he handed it to Ed.  
"I'm leaving now, but there's one last thing I have to say to you Edward, I love you." He pushed Ed against the wall, pressing his lips to the smaller teen's, Edward gasped, and Roy took the opportunity to push his tongue into Ed's mouth, delving deep into the unknown territory that was Ed, and Edward found himself pinned against the wall, staring into Roy's deep obsidian eyes, he sighed against Roy's soft lips, his eyes slipping closed.  
Roy's tongue twined around Ed's, his hands slipped under Ed's shirt, and he lifted Ed from the floor, pushing him onto the nearest bed, he kept his lips against Ed's, his hands wandering lower with each passing minute, until one hand slipped into Ed's pants, long, slender fingers wrapping around Ed's cock. It was then that he broke the kiss, leaning toward Edward's lower body, but Ed's fist slammed into his jaw again, knocking him back. Edward was panting, tears spilling down his cheeks, the old fire had returned to his eyes, making them bright once more, but not with independence, or strength, like before, but with sadness and anger.  
"I should kill you Roy Mustang." He said, his voice calm. "How could you Roy?!! That is exactly what happened before!! You just stood there while they took me and Al into that stupid forest by the high-school!! I begged for your help! You were a senior!! Big enough to stop them! They were so much stronger than me!! And they had Alphonse! I couldn't even fight back for fear of what they'd do to him!!!" The tears shimmered as they fell from Ed's eyes, he swallowed hard, filled with the memory of that day, his third day as a freshman in high-school...

Edward blinked at the junior boy standing in front of him, blocking the sidewalk, confusion marred his features as three more boys stepped out of the surrounding forest, the confusion turned to anger when he noticed his twelve year old brother, sobbing, and held between two of the boys, the first boy, who'd stood in front of Ed, now stood beside him, holding the freshmen's wrist tightly in his hand.  
"If you don't want you're brother to get hurt you'd better come with us, it's time for your high-school initiation. I think it's time you lost your apparent virginity." He said, Edward growled with anger, lunging forward as one of the other boys ran his fingers down Al's jawline, causing the junior high student to shudder, and quiver with fear, Ed reached toward Al, pulling against the boy's grip with all his strength.  
"Let Al go!!" He snarled, but the boy just laughed,  
"No, he's going to come and watch. Hey! Hey Mustang! Ya wanna come join us, we're initiating this kid." Ed looked at the person the boy was talking to, an obvious senior, with raven black hair, obsidian eyes, and pale skin,  
"No. I don't like initiations." Edward lunged forward again, but his foot slipped on some rocks, and he fell, landing painfully on his left knee.  
"Help!! Please help me!" He cried, but Roy just stared at him blankly as the boys dragged him and Al into the trees.  
Ed fought tooth and nail against the boy, who's name, he later learned, was Clay.  
"Let me and Al go!!" He yelled, but Clay didn't listen. He just walked on, ignoring Ed's feeble attempts to escape.  
"We're here." He said, pointing to a small cabin, he pushed Ed through the door. "Put him on the couch." He ordered, indicating Al, who was still sobbing, they dropped him on the couch, simply locking a chain that was connected to the wall around his ankle. Clay yanked Ed's back pack off, tossing it into a corner, two other boys held Ed's arms as Clay lifted the smaller teen's shirt up, running his cold fingers over Ed's tan skin, "Now, set up the cameras."  
Ed was shoved onto a low table, his clothes removed, and video cameras set up all around him. Clay stood naked beside him, a ski mask covering his face. He pushed Edward onto his back on the table, forcing the teen's legs apart, one of the other boys leaned closer holding his own camera, and filmed as Clay pulled on a rubber glove, Ed struggled with the bonds the other boys were tying him to the table with, his legs tied apart. Clay wrapped his fingers around Ed's cock, laughing as it hardened from the incessant contact.  
Edward pulled at his bonds, growling at the junior, as Clay pulled a condom over his own cock, pulling Edward's ass down the table, he pulled a dildo from a nearby drawer, and, with a malicious laugh, he shoved it into Ed, who cried out in pain, his head flying back, and his eyes closing, only to snap open, widening with shock and even more pain as a second object joined the first inside of him, a single glance revealed that it was Clay's cock. Edward nearly screamed as Clay thrust forward, using his hand to pump the fake dick in and out of Ed's lean body, tears poured down Ed's cheeks, dripping onto the table, Al was yelling something but Ed couldn't make out what it was, Ed's back arched as Clay hit a certain bundle of nerves, causing Ed to moan, his eyes slipping closed, and everything went black, even Al's yelling disappeared.  
Ed's eyes flickered open, he felt cold, and wet, and as he looked around he noticed that he was lying on a white blanket, which was stained with his blood, and he was naked, his back pack lay nearby, along with his clothes, but Al was nowhere to be seen. Ed picked up the cell phone that was sitting beside him, the screen said he had a video message, and he swallowed hard before pressing the button to receive it. Edward groaned as his own screams and moans filtered out of the phone, and his own pained, tear streaked face filled the screen, before the camera backed off and Ed could see what was happening, it showed him, bound to the table, getting ass-raped by Clay. Edward glared at the screen, he was about to turn off the video when it suddenly cut out, replaced by new video, video of-  
"AL!" Ed started to get up, but pain caused him to fall back to the blanket, he ran a hand over his backside, flinching in pain, he bit his lip and forced himself to stand, pulling his pants on, he gathered his belongings and looked around, the cabin was still in sight, and there was light coming from it's windows, Ed limped toward it as fast as his aching body would allow, he opened the door, and looked inside, only to find himself staring at Al, who was laying on the couch, now fully dressed again, the younger teen was unconscious. His silvery eyes closed, yet his brow still creased with pain, Ed sat beside him, wincing as he put weight on his ass, he gently shook Al's shoulder, Alphonse sat up, crying out in pain and falling against Ed, who did his best to support his younger brother.  
"It's alright Al, they're gone, let's get out of here." He helped Al up off the couch, leading him out the door...

Edward flinched as Mustang pushed him back against the wall,  
"I turned them in for that, Edward, they're in prison now, with life sentences. They put that stupid video all over the net, and fixed the computers at school to play it as wallpaper." Ed turned his face away from Roy's,  
"I know. I was there." Mustang gently turned Edward's face, staring into the tear filled gold eyes, he pressed a small kiss to Ed's lips, wiping Ed's tears away,  
"Don't cry, I'm here, I love you, I need you, in a completely different way than Alphonse, who I think is probably getting pretty impatient by now." Edward pushed him away, disbelief clear in his expression.  
"You could never need me more than Alphonse! I need him, and he needs me, but I don't need you!" he gave Mustang a glare that would have deterred most others, especially those who knew Ed, they would have run. But Roy just stood there, looking deep into the swirling amber depths of Edward's eyes,  
"Why not?"  
Ed snorted, "Why not? Because Al's my brother! And you're just an asshole who wouldn't help us when we needed it! I'm going to see Al." Ed turned on his heel, striding out of the room, he patted Michael on the head before approaching his foster mother. "Mom...I'm gonna go to the store...you want anything?" the woman, who was lying on the couch staring blankly at the TV screen, shook her head,  
"No, but make sure you get something for the kids." He nodded,  
"I will," he turned to Mustang, "You're coming with me." Roy opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out, so he simply nodded, following Ed out the door.


	2. Chapter 2: Familiar Faces

A/N: Here's Chapter 2, thanks for the reviews!!!

Chapter 2: Familiar faces

Edward strode quickly down the street, he had Roy's hand in his, and was dragging him along at an alarming rate. The slip of paper had Alphonse's address on it, and Edward was bound and determined to reach Al's house before the sun sank behind the hills,

"Oh shit…" He muttered, pausing, Roy was panting behind him, he pulled a bottle of pills from his pocket, and swallowed it quickly, "I forgot…'cause you showed up." He explained, before starting off again. The light from the sun slowly faded into twilight, and Edward quickened his pace. When they reached the address Al was supposed to be staying at Ed took a few deep calming breaths, turning his burning golden eyes on Roy, "You'd better not be lying, Bastard." He growled, and Roy was surprised to see the dullness seeping into Ed's eyes, the pointlessness of the pills.

Edward steeled himself and knocked on the door, biting his lip, and when the door opened he seemed unable to speak, his eyes focused on the ground,

"E-Excuse me, but…is Alphonse here?" He asked, without looking up, Roy wanted to comfort him, to put his arm around Ed's shoulder, and show him the support he obviously needed right now, but he didn't as the patron of the house nodded,

"One moment, let me go get him." The man disappeared inside, and Edward fiddled with his fingers nervously on the door step.

There was movement at the door, and Edward looked up a little, and gasped, it had been two and a half years since he'd seen Alphonse, they'd been separated right after Edward turned fourteen, and hadn't seen each other since, Alphonse was tall, at least five foot six, he towered a full five inches over his older brother, his hair was cut short, in the current style, his bangs spiking mostly to one side, and his silvery eyes peered down at Edward's long golden hair, pulled into a ponytail, then slid down the sculpted chest, the bruised forearms, the long legs, clad in worn jeans, and there was sudden recognition in his eyes.

"Edward…?" He asked, his eyes wide, "Is that really you?" Edward swallowed and nodded, Al's eyes flickered to Roy, "Thank you, Roy…you've done the impossible." And without further ado, he flung his arms around Edward. "I missed you…brother…"

Edward pressed his pale face into Al's shoulder, and sobbed, "I missed you too, so much Al…" A second later Edward's phone buzzed in his pocket, he didn't answer it the first time, but the second time he pulled back, wiping his eyes, and flipping over the pay-as-you-go phone. "H-hello?" He asked, a voice wheezed through the line, and Edward's face crumpled, "Y-yeah, I got sidetracked…yeah…no, I can't…m-mom…I'm not…they said not again without ID…somewhere else? No…they'd never…not to me…mom, I barely look fourteen…yeah…ok…I won't forget to get something for the kids…bye." He hung up the phone, shoving it in his pocket,

"M-Mustang…Roy, could you do me a favor, _please,_ I need you to go to the store for me, and get a bottle of cheap whiskey, um, seven candy bars…and…a gallon of milk." Ed's nose wrinkled in disgust as the last word came out, Roy raised his eyebrows, but nodded,

"Alright, anything for you?" Roy asked, pushing Ed's money away, "Keep your cash."

"No…nothing for me." He said, smiling, and turning back to Al, "I have to leave as soon as he gets back…but…can we meet somewhere? Tomorrow, at the park maybe?" Alphonse smiled, kissing Edward on the cheek,

"Sure…" As Roy walked away he heard Alphonse ask Edward where he'd been, why he'd been unable to have visitors, and what he'd been through. He was out of ear shot when Ed replied.

"Well…" Edward hung his head at Al's question, "Th-they put me in…Trio woods." Ed murmured, ashamed to admit it to his little brother, and blushed deep red when he heard Alphonse gasp,

"Brother…" He felt Al's arms wrap around him lovingly, comforting him, "How long?" Trio Woods was a mental institution, a loony bin, somewhere they locked away the insane, "Why?"

Edward shuddered, "Well…I went through three homes before they finally did, I was…screaming in my sleep, seeing things that weren't there…mostly just remembering things I didn't want to…but…when I woke up my last family…" He slid into memory again.

"_NO!!!!!!! NO GET OFF ME!!!" Edward screamed, his eyes open, arms and legs flailing, his body was drenched in sweat, his eyes were blank, obviously seeing something John and Michelle couldn't see, his foster parents clung to each other, unsure of how to proceed, John ventured forward, and grabbed one of Ed's arms, petting his head until Ed calmed down, and reality found his eyes, which flickered to John's face, _

"_Oh...god…I'm so sorry, John…I didn't mean to wake you guys up." He smiled, sadly, it didn't reach his eyes. _

"_Edward…we think you should get some help, child services warned us that you had some problems, but…we can't handle this, we're not ready for a teenager." Edward stared, shocked,_

"_N-no, I'm fine, please…I'm ok, don't send me away…how can I find Al if you send me away…?" He whispered the last part, "I'm fine." John shook his head, _

"_You wake up screaming every night, Ed…We'll call Child services in the morning, you should pack your things…" John stood and left the room, Michelle stood in the doorway, her huge blue eyes shimmering with tears, "I'm sorry Edward." She said, hanging her head, she'd been trying to smooth out the paperwork to adopt the wild teen, but…his problems…the way he screamed every night, and sometimes broke things without thinking about it, the blank look in his eyes whenever they tried to empathize with him… She couldn't handle it. "I'm so sorry." And she left the room. _

_Edward was in Trio Woods two days later, sedated, quarantined until they knew all his conditions. Needles…too many needles, blank eyed, slack jawed, screamer… those were the words that described Edward Elric in the asylum, hopeless. _

_He spent eighteen months in TW, being poked and prodded and messed with…and when they released him he went back to being switched from home to home, until he found the Kales, he didn't particularly like the house, or the woman he was forced to call 'Mom' but the kids, Michael, June, Danny, Mona, Bell, Katy, and Bonnie, they were in a worse state than he was, all of them foster kids, and he…they needed him. _

"Yeah…they said they couldn't handle me…" Edward said, smiling, his eyes were starting to turn dull from the pills, "I'm on twelve prescriptions now…for anger…suicidal thoughts…depression, harmful thoughts…" He shrugged, "How've you been?" Alphonse bit his lip, then smiled radiantly,

"Well, I went through a few homes in the beginning, because I was depressed without you brother…no-one really wanted me at first, but…then I met Hank and Darlene, they have a daughter my age, her name is Winry…" Al blushed, and smiled again, "I've been here since about three months after we got separated, you know? I'm a sophomore in high school now, and they're a nice family and all, but…I miss you brother." It was then Edward looked Al over again, tan slacks, button up white shirt under a darker sweater vest, clean cut, taken care of… He looked at his own clothes, his shirt was stained with a mixture of things from the kids, his pants ripped in many places, his shoes were converse, expensive, but three years old now, falling apart, the soles coming off slowly, held together with duct tape.

"You look good, Al…" He said, trying not to run his fingers through his waist length hair, the ponytail was sloppy, and tangled, but he hadn't had time to brush it before he made breakfast for the kids.

"Are you in school Brother?" Alphonse asked, feeling awkward, Edward shook his head,

"I got my GED in Trio Woods, I work a part time job at the Circle K, but most of the time I take care of the littler kids, there're seven of them living in my foster home." He smiled, but it was sad, and he was succumbing to the medicine running through his veins, before Al could say anything more Roy sauntered up, carrying two bags, one with the candy and milk, the other with the whiskey in a paper bag.

"Here you go, Ed…" Alphonse smiled sadly,

"I'll see you tomorrow, at three o'clock at West park." He said, giving Ed one last hug and scurrying inside, Edward took the bags from Roy and turned to leave, "Thank you…Roy." He murmured, then started home, his eyes down, he couldn't ask Al to leave, Al was happy, and taken care of, Ed could survive on the street, but Alphonse? He couldn't. And the kids…Ed shook his head, the kids needed him at home, so he couldn't leave either. They were trapped.

"Hey Ed, wait up." Edward turned to look at Roy, who was holding out a hundred dollar bill, "Take this, I know you guys don't have much money, buy some new shoes for you and the kids, ok?" Edward was about to object, but Roy kissed him, gently and lightly, and tucked the money into Edward's pocket, "Keep it, Ed, please." Then Roy turned and walked away, and Edward blinked after him before turning to head for home.


	3. Chapter 3: Combinations

"Shh, hey, it's alright, you're fine, huh?" Ed murmured, smiling slightly, golden eyes calming. He had a hand over the child's wounded knee, and was fishing for a bandage in his back pocket, he smoothed the band-aid over the small cut, and patted Bonnie on the head, "See, you're alright." Bonnie nodded, blinking away tears, and sniffled before she hurried off to keep playing.

Edward straightened, checking his phone for the time, and sighing, leaning back on the bench, it was already three-thirty, Al wasn't there. Edward's eyes swept the park again, and he pulled his loose hair farther forward on the left side so it covered that side of his face, and began chewing on his lip worriedly.

Four of the kids had come with him to the park, the younger four. Danny, Katy, Bonnie, and Bell ran wild over the toys, laughing and squealing, and Ed watched them closely. When the time rolled around to four thirty Edward stood up, staring down at his new converse, they looked too clean…too new…he rubbed one foot over the other, leaving a dirty line, and bit his lip. "Come on kids, let's go home." He called sadly, they all bounced to his side, ready to complain, but it was as if they understood he needed compliance, and they followed him obediently.

Edward opened the front door, let them inside, and closed it behind himself.

"Mom, I have an appointment today!" He yelled through the house, no answer… He leaned into her doorway, looking at the dark shape, "Mom, I have to…I'm going to be late." He said, she rolled over to look at him,

"Late for what? You don't work today." She said, he bit his lip,

"I have an appointment, that weird counselor/doctor." Ed reminded her, he'd told her about it that morning,

"Oh, tell Mona to watch the kids then, and go." He sighed and nodded, hurrying to Mona's room, which she shared with Bonnie and the other girls.

"Mona, you gotta watch the kids, for an hour, I have an appointment." She barely looked up, but nodded, and he ran from the house, hurrying down the street outside to reach the somber gray building his appointments were held in.

The appointments were always the same, Edward stared at his feet, sketched on stationary, and veritably ignored the doctor, and the doctor asked questions that hung in the air unanswered. Ed was required by law to attend, but not to speak, and so he didn't.

"I'm starting you on a new prescription." That got Ed's attention, his head snapped up, mouth opening,

"What? Why?" His eyes filled with confusion,

"You seem…absent minded, I'm giving you two, one for the sleep you're still missing, one for the…lack of clarity you seem to have."

"How do you know I'm not sleeping?" Ed asked with a grimace,

"Your mother told me you aren't." The doctor said, tapping his pen against his clipboard. Ed's nose wrinkled,

"She's not my mother!" He growled loudly, a second later he regretted it.

"Hmm, seems the dosage of the anger suppressant is too low as well." Edward's jaw dropped,

"No, please don't! I…I can hardly feel anything anymore…" A hand reached out and lifted his chin, pushing his hair back from his left cheek,

"Where did this bruise come from?" Edward pulled away from the man,

"I fell, on some rocks at the park." He lifted his arm up, showing a skinned spot, "See?"

"Hmm." Was the doctor's response, Edward stared as he scribbled something urgently on his clipboard,

"Can I go now? It's been an hour." The man didn't respond to Ed's low question, but continued writing out prescriptions for the "volatile" teenager.

"Mrs. Larson, please take these and fill them for Mr. Elric." The doctor said, and Ed turned to see the receptionist reaching to take them, pity in her eyes when she turned her gaze on him. Ed turned back in time to glimpse the writing on the doctor's clipboard, 'Angry, getting in fights, doesn't sleep.' He felt his hands curl into fists, but the doctor wasn't watching him. He scribbled something more, then the woman returned with the prescriptions, and handed them to Edward, too much pity…she patted his shoulder as he took them, and stood up,

"Please don't touch me." She looked hurt, but he brushed past her, and began the long walk down the stairs.

It felt strange…this many pills, ten at a time, every six hours… he felt…nothing, numb, pointless. He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling as the pills began to take effect for the first time, but instead of getting sleepy something else happened entirely. The world was, for a moment, clearer, then a sharp pain ripped through his stomach. Edward shot up in bed, eyes wide, one hand over his mouth as his stomach heaved. He swung his legs out of bed, and ran for the bathroom, kicking the door closed behind him he fell to his knees by the toilet and gagged. He shivered as the first wave of nausea faded, then returned with a vengeance, and he lost part of the contents of his stomach.

By the time Mona came to see if he was alright it had been an hour, an hour of shaking and vomiting, hair plastered to his forehead by sweat, he turned his pale face to her, standing in the doorway,

"I…I'm fine, Mona, just…it's probably just the flu…" He swallowed bile to continue speaking, "Make sure…the kids are…up in time for school." He panted, leaning back toward the toilet, "Get out now…please…" He grimaced, she didn't move, he slid his leg over and kicked the door closed just in time to bend over the toilet and throw up again.

The morning was…would have been a godsend had the vomiting stopped, it was as if it never would, even though all that was coming up was stomach acid, and there couldn't be much more of that left. His throat and nose burned, his eyes ached from being awake all night, and the door opened again as he flushed down the latest release from his stomach.

"Go away Mona…" He growled, laying his head back on the toilet where it had been most of the night, the door closed.

The next time the door opened he'd finally fallen asleep, face on the toilet seat, sweat coating his aching body, Roy Mustang stared down at the frail bundle of pill filled teenager, and took a deep shuddering breath. He knelt by Ed's side, and gently shook his shoulder,

"…away…Mona…" Edward murmured in his sleep, grimacing. Roy raised his eyebrows and pushed Ed's hair back from his face.

"I'm not Mona." Edward's eyes cracked open, and it was like the first rays of the sunrise, unclouded gold glowing from beneath the edges of nearly closed lids. "I'm Roy, and I'm not going away. You need water, and rest, and I get the feeling you won't get it here." Edward's eyes opened all the way as Roy swung him up into his arms, he flailed,

"No!! No! Put me down! I have to puke again!!" Roy blinked, and set him down and Ed hunched over the toilet and hacked up…acid. Roy winced, he knew how that felt. He rubbed soothing circles into Ed's back and shoulders, it was the first time Ed hadn't responded in any way to his touch, and it almost worried him.

"Hey…you ok?" He asked quietly as Edward lay his head back on the toilet, and sighed painfully.

"Yeah…I…how'd you get in here?" Roy smiled slightly,

"Through the front door, like everyone else." He answered, Edward snorted, "Ok, I give, it's eleven, the kids are mostly at school, except Mona, she stayed to make sure you were ok, and she let me in."

"Thanks…" Ed murmured, Roy blinked,

"For what?" He lifted Ed into his arms more slowly this time,

"Telling the truth…" Ed mumbled as his eyes slid closed again, and he wrapped an arm around his stomach. "My…it hurts…" He muttered before falling into unconsciousness.

Roy took a deep breath, this was hard, Ed was…hurting, and he couldn't really do anything… He squared his shoulders, and carried Edward out the door to his car, which he had, rightly, thought to bring. He slid the sick teen into the back seat, laying him down, and slid into the driver's seat. Edward needed care, and Roy's house was empty, peaceful, and quiet. He could give care.

When Edward woke up he felt frantic, he needed to throw up, but he couldn't seem to find a toilet, "Ah!" He cried out as he fell out of an unfamiliar bed, and clutched at his aching stomach, he scrambled to his feet, clamping his mouth shut, and began opening doors, he finally found the bathroom, and bent over the toilet. It was the last time, he knew, barely anything came up, and he hacked and gagged for five minutes after, but his stomach clenched, and that was that. He stumbled to the sink, and rinsed his mouth, grimacing at the taste, then ambled out of the bathroom, still unsure of where he was.

"Ed?" Roy stared at the empty bed for a moment, rolling his eyes and setting down the glass of water he'd gone to get, only to turn around and bump right into the weary teen.

"There you are, are you alright?" Ed stared up at him through hazy eyes,

"'m fine…" He mumbled, dodging around Roy to burrow back into the warm comfortable bed he'd woken up in. Now that he knew where he was he felt better. He closed his eyes, but Roy sat beside him and shook his shoulder,

"You haven't drunk anything in over twelve hours, Ed, you need some water, then you can sleep." A cool hand touched Edward's forehead, and he sighed, and sat up slowly. His stomach ached with the movement. Ed glared warily at the glass of water in Roy's hands, then took it, and took a tentative sip of the clear liquid, finding it clean, he swallowed a few mouthfuls, wincing when they hit his stomach, and pressed it back into Roy's hands.

"There, can I sleep now?" Roy nodded, looking amused, and Edward curled up under the blankets and fell asleep.

Roy watched the slow rise and fall of Ed's chest, Edward…Ed in his bed, under his blankets… Roy shook his head, the breath was labored, even if it seemed steady, and Edward was burning up, and seemed to want nothing but more blankets. He made sure to get Ed to drink water


End file.
